* originally published on Yahoo Philippines, also seen on Vera Files *

Green superheroes Ben 10, The Green Lantern, and The Hulk are joining the Philippine election campaign.

No, 10-year old Ben the Omnitrix will not use his a mysterious alien weapon, Omnitrix, for either Team PNoy or United Nationalist Alliance senatorial candidates.

But who knows if Green Lantern would use the ring that grants him superpowers to fight those who threatens to upset the balance of power in the universe. Or if The Hulk would turn into a green, irradiated, mutated humanoid monster if he meets candidates coddling illegal loggers.

The participation of the emerald-attired superheroes in the election campaign is part of “Berde ka ba?” ---this year’s campaign theme of Greenpeace Philippines’ Green Electoral Initiative (GEI).

Coined from the rising fame of Pinoy rap culture of FlipTop, where contenders outfox each other through witty freestyle verses, “Berde ka ba” activities will include a public debate among senatorial candidates tentatively scheduled on April 24, 10 a.m., at the Leong Hall of the Ateneo de Manila University in Quezon City.

“We plan to invite senatorial candidates who have environmental track records, or those who have anything to say regarding our 10-point legislative agenda survey that covers issues on chemical pollution and consumer safety, solid waste, sustainable agriculture and genetic engineering, climate change adaptation, oceans, mining,” said Therese Salvador, media team leader of Greenpeace Southeast Asia – Philippines.

According to Salvador, the candidates will be asked questions related to these topics “from a distinguished panel, from the audience, and from social media queries.”

Photo from Greenpeace Philippines

Conducted during election year, the GEI was launched in 2007 by Greenpeace in partnership with EcoWaste Coaltion. This year, the GEI is being made possible through the partnership of Greenpeace, EcoWaste, and Global Alliance for Incinerator Alternatives with the Ateneo School of Government.

“GEI aims to ensure that the right of Filipinos to ‘a balanced and healthful ecology’ is upheld and safeguarded,” Salvador explained.

Greenpeace Philippines mainly promotes and supports public engagements that raise debates on why Filipinos should be concerned about the environment – and why getting involved now is important.

“We hope that the dedication, passion, youthful energy, and creativity coupled with scientifically-sound arguments will serve as inspiration that would change behaviors of individuals, governments, business and communities in order to save what is left of this earth and allow her to heal,” Greenpeace said.

Greenpeace has been committed to defending the naturally blessed and bio-diverse environment of Southeast Asia since 1994.

Established in 2000 in the Philippines, Greenpeace has paved the way for the passage of The Philippine Clean Air Act of 1999 (and other landmark environmental laws) that included an unprecedented national ban against garbage incineration.

The earth-friendly society also significantly contributed to the launch of the electric-powered jeepney (or eJeepney) project in 2007.

Greenpeace Philippines’ “avocado advocates” are currently working on putting an end to the use of dirty fossil fuels, like coal, which contributes to climate change in the country.

They also help save oceans and seas by continuously lobbying the government for a stronger enforcement of laws to protect the country’s marine environment.

The “olive warriors” of Greenpeace are tasked with helping eliminate cancer-causing chemicals from the Filipino’s daily lives, including those hidden in gadgets and everyday clothing.

Agriculture-wise, they also take part in fighting against the commercialization of genetically-modified organisms.

With a number of virtual means by which Filipinos can contribute to Greenpeace Philippines’ ecological campaigns, pledging donations and becoming a volunteer are just a couple of clicks away on their website.

The group makes social networking relevant through its “donate one tweet a day” program, where Twitter users can simply link their accounts to JustCause.org and automatic donations are made every time a message is posted.

Greenpeace Philippines also participates on a global scale, particularly to protect and rescue the Arctic region --- a threatened part of the Earth due to climate change, drilling explorations, and industrial fishing.

“Eyes on the Arctic,” the largest participatory art project in the world to date, employs hundreds of portraits, each “looking up and thinking about the magic and mystery of the far North,” to create a unique piece of art at the North Pole.

Also this month, the rangers of Greenpeace International will mount an epic trip to the North Pole, as part of its Arctic campaign.

Whether locally or globally, Greenpeace makes all ways possible for an individual to actively participate in saving the world – one green piece of action at a time.

* originally published on Yahoo Philippines, also seen on Vera Files *

Many of today’s famous photographers, like American Terry Richardson, started their photographic pilgrimage early in life. But others take longer to discover their penchant for photography, like Julia Margaret Cameron, a famous British portraitist in the 1800s who began taking sepia-toned Victorian portraits in her late 40s.

During one of her group exhibits in 2012, Mise-en-Scene

Twenty-two-year-old Louise Anne Manuel, or Luisa to friends, is one of those photographers who started young. “I really can’t imagine not being a photographer,” Manuel declared, stressing the word ‘not.’

“Even when my mind was set on being a doctor, I still thought of becoming a photographer when I retire. It seems that I have been gearing myself to take this path at all costs,” she added.

She was studying a pre-medical course at the University of the Philippines (UP) Manila when she discovered her love for photography.

Having found her true passion for taking pictures, she transferred to De La Salle College of Saint Benilde, where she is taking up AB Photography.

Manuel discovered the world of digital photography in 2006 when she acquired her first camera. Then a teenager, she started teaching herself portraiture by taking photos of herself.

Not long after she began accepting photo shoot commissions in 2008, she found herself lecturing on fashion and photography at UP Diliman, UP Los Baños, and De La Salle University in Manila.

(Sometimes, she works in front of the camera, being the subject of the photo shoot. One instance was when she participated in the 2011 “A Walk in Tokyo: A Japanese Fashion Show” as one of its runway models.)

Last year, Manuel had her first two photo exhibitions. In the group show “One Day in the City: Pasay,” she documented the life in Pasay City for 24 hours, together with 14 other shutterbugs.

“Mise-en-Scene,” also a collective display, featured fashion interpretations of iconic Hollywood films. “I chose to recreate ‘The Ring’ and, surprisingly, I was able to generate an overwhelming positive feedback from the attendees,” Manuel recalled.

Her fashion interpretation of The Ring

She said her work is vastly influenced by Asian horror. She described her photographic style as “dark – oftentimes leaning towards the concepts of death and desire.”

The haunting yet lovely feel of her photographs reminds one of American photographer Francesca Woodman’s eerie trademark but with more meticulous details and blithesome colors that complement the beauty of her muses – and without the naked models.

“Before I learned about photography, I was just your average everyday school-going teenager who’s terribly addicted to anime, Japanese drama, and iced coffee,” Manuel admitted.

When not taking pictures, she scours online blogs for inspiration, plays computer games, and hangs out with her friends. She confessed, “I also have a creepy habit of watching people.”

She noted that the local photography scene is flourishing. The works of photographers Ryan Vergara and Garovs Garovillo of Everywhere We Shoot, Edric Chen, and China Mungcal have a special spot in her heart. “They all have their own unique eye for things and they shoot to their hearts’ beat,” Manuel explained.

“The Philippines has a diverse culture and we have an abundance of inspiration to create art,” Manuel observed. “However, I also think that it would be great if our photographers could get more help from the government, since it is currently difficult to shoot, even in public places.”

Career-wise, the year 2013 looks good for her. In Manuel’s upcoming solo show, “Face Your Demons: A Photographic Exhibit on Fears and Nightmares,” she sticks to her signature style of macabre and elegance as she depicts the experiences of facing one’s fears, nightmares, and phobias.

Face Your Demons

“Face Your Demons” will be held from March 21-27 at the Big Bad Wolf, 5th Ave. Cor. McKinley Rd, Bonifacio Global City in Taguig. The opening night will also feature musical performances by Marvin Fabular and Lyle Manuel, and a live painting session by Iso Francisco of Spidersilk Productions.

Asked about her inspirations for the series, she answered: “The styling [of ‘Face Your Demons’] was inspired by a bizarre mixture of Jean Paul Gaultier, John Galliano, and Takato Yamamoto. Theme development was also through the help of my fashion stylist, Kreame Isaac.”

The exhibit’s teaser photos reveal muses imbued with hints of Japanese gothic Lolita fashion.

“‘Face Your Demons’ is my most elaborate shoot to date. The works I would be putting up are all new, so no one has seen them yet,” she said.

Aside from having her own photo studio, Manuel also hopes to finish her photography course this year.

* originally published on Yahoo Philippines, also seen on Vera Files *

Two years ago on March 11, 2011, a magnitude-9 earthquake followed by a deadly tsunami hit Japan, claiming thousands of lives and destroying homes and other properties.

Most affected by the megadisaster was the Tohoku region in the north-eastern portion of Japan’s largest island of Honshu. The catastrophe caused widespread destruction (including a nuclear accident) in many cities in four of Tohoku’s prefectures, namely: Aomori, Fukushima, Iwate, and Miyagi. (Its two other prefectures, Akita and Yamagata, were not as heavily damaged.)

Naoya Hatakeyama

This 2011 megadisaster, dubbed the Great Eastern Japan Earthquake, is “the chief motivation” for organizing the ongoing photo exhibit “Tohuku– Through the Eyes of Japanese Photographers,” according to Kotaro Iizawa, the exhibit curator and a photography critic.

The exhibit, which marks the second anniversary of the 2011powerful earthquake and tsunami, runs until March 17 at the Gallery XVIII, 3rd Floor, Old Legislative Building of the National Museum in Manila.

On March 9, Iizawa and participating photographer Nao Tsuda will conduct an art talk on Tohoku at the same venue.

Presented by the Japan Foundation, Manila (JFM), the exhibit features 123 photographs of nine Japanese photographers and one photography group, representing the different timelines and aspects of life in the Tohoku region. They are Teisuki Chiba, Ichiro Kojima, Hideo Haga, Naoya Hatakeyama, Meiki Lin, Masatoshi Natio, Hiroshi Oshima, Masaru Tatsuki, Tsuda, and a group of photographers called the Sendai Collection.

“Although many people were made aware of this incredible disaster (2011 earthquake and tsunami)...there was little reporting on the historical and cultural background of the region,” Iizawa said. “This exhibition is intended to fill that gap through the works of photographers.”

Iizawa explained further: “Tohoku has attracted many photographers since ...photography was introduced to Japan in the 1850s. After the 1920s, when inexpensive and easily operable cameras became available, the people of Tohoku began taking pictures of their own region. Following the Second World War, there was an increase in the variety and quality of photographs of the Tohoku landscape, people’s lives, and popular events. This exhibition presents a representative selection of such photographs.”

Hiroshi Oshima

Each exhibiting photographer has his own style and contribution to the ethnology, life, and landscape of Tohoku from the past and present.

Chiba (1917 – 1965), who hailed from Kakunodate, Akita prefecture, was a self-taught photographer who worked as a kimono merchant. His photography reflected the way of living in Akita. He was one of the central figures in Akita photography.

Kojima (1924 – 1964), a son of a merchant who sold toys and photographic supplies, began seriously working as a photographer in 1954. His photographic subjects included the landscapes of Tohoku.

Haga (1921) is the founding member of the Japan Professional Photographers Society, which was set up in 1950. He has taken photographs all over Japan and 101 foreign lands.

Tokyo-born Natio (1938) was given the New Artist Award by the Japan Photo Critics Association in 1966. His work focuses on the folk religions of Tohoku.

Oshima (1944) became known for his Sanhei series, which featured a place in his hometown, where a peasant uprising took place during the Edo period. He is presently a professor in Kyushu Sangyo University.

Hatakeyama (1958) produced a series on the relationship of nature, cities, and photographs. He photographed the destruction in his hometown caused by the Great Eastern Japan Earthquake.

Lin (1969) from Yokosuka, Kanagawa is the manager of Kibo Photographers, a school specializing in photography. He is also the president of Meirin Co., Ltd. and is an instructor at the Club Tourism International, Inc.

Tatsuki (1974) spent almost a decade photographing trucks and drivers. In 2012, he won the 37th Kimura Ihei Memorial Photography Award for the Tohoku photographs he  took from 2006 to 2011. He still visits the region to take pictures.

Tsuda (1976) was born in Kobe, Kyogo prefecture. He sees photography as contemporary art and has recently held solo exhibitions in Frankfurt, New York, and Paris. He was the recipient of the Minister of Education Award for New Artist in Fine Arts in 2010.

Meiki Lin

The Sendai Collection group of photographers is composed of Toru Ito, Shiro Ouchi, Makoto Kotaki, Wataru Matsutani, Hidekazu Katakura, Hisashi Saito, Ryuji Sasaki, and Reiko Anbai. In 2001, Ito formed the group to document ordinary landscapes in Sendai, “which are eroding in the flow of time and about to disappear from memory.”

“TOHOKU – Through the Eyes of Japanese Photographers” is a travelling exhibit that has been to China, Italy, Australia, Malaysia, and India since its inception in March 2012. After the Philippines, “TOHOKU’s” next stop will be the United States from April to May.

* originally published on Yahoo Philippines, also seen on Vera Files *

Nowadays, a wide range of products are readily available to consumers through the Internet. The real challenge in having an online business is how to make one’s products stand out from the competition.

Punchdrunk Panda (PdP), a company engaged in online selling, offers unique and functional “world-class” Pinoy goods that showcase the talent of local graphic designers.

Founded by Gail Go and Jen Horn in mid-2007,  PdP has an exclusive product line that includes casual shoes, laptop sleeves, camera straps, and smartphone cases, among others. Some of their best-selling products are those designed by artists Manix Abrera, Rob Cham, and JP Cuison.

Punchdrunk Panda products

“Our missions are to give Filipino designers and illustrators an unconventional canvas on which to showcase their work and create conversation starters, to create proudly Pinoy-made products that show off Filipino creativity and capability, and to give you unique, functional, and awesome-looking products to express your personality and support for Pinoy products and designers,” Go explained.

The company has an awesome roster of contributing artists with distinctive styles, such as Alessa Lanot, Diego and Ge Mapa, Saab Magalona, Selena Salang, and Tof Zapanta, among others.

“They (artists) are very passionate about their work, (which is) like an extension of their personality. Consumers dig that,” Go shared. “We do not limit ourselves to a certain style but we’d like it to be familiar and distinctive: familiar to the consumers but distinctive in a way that when you see an artwork, you’d go ‘Hey, that’s (an artist name) art’.”

What makes their products truly Pinoy aside from being designed by local artists is the fact that PdP tries to manufacture them in the country. “As long as we can find a manufacturer in the Philippines, it’s still cost efficient,” Go said.

PdP started because of Go and Horn’s shared frustration with the lack of affordable and functional laptop sleeves. “Jen and I combined our powers to design the funkiest, yet most practical laptop sleeves. This idea eventually trickled down to other products on which graphic designs aren't conventionally applied,” Go shared.

She went on: “Jen and I started PdP because of our passion for creativity, essentially. As PdP grew, we needed an equally passionate member and we were lucky to have found Nica Kim (their honorary partner and operations manager).”

In 2008, PdP got their first retail partner, LapDance Bags. They created a new direction for their products and incorporated graphic design, as well. Go and Horn quit their jobs the following year so they could focus on their business.

Not long after their successful graphic-designed laptop sleeves, they thought of designing ladies’ casual footwear. They also collaborated with local artists in launching “cool things,” like artist webisodes, blogger hangouts, and Community Creativity Camp.

PdP is also known for the Anteroom Sessions event, which it started in 2011.  The marketing event featured local artists, bands, and entrepreneurs.

Anteroom Sessions 2

“Anteroom Sessions is something that we are so proud to have initiated,” Go said. “It’s been a huge success to date and it’s unfortunate that I physically cannot repeat this for this year. It’s hard when I’m half way across the globe. My staff is not ready to run it by themselves.”

Go moved to Canada a couple of years ago where she has since been remotely managing PdP. “I have a staff and they help me with the day-to-day operations. Thank God for the Internet,” said Go, who does fulltime brand marketing for ConAgra Foods Canada.

Meanwhile, Horn and Kim no longer take an active part in PdP.

In February, PdP started an initiative to enable Filipino consumers to give back to the community by donating 10 % of its sales to local and sustainable organizations, such as Save the Philippine Seas, Got Heart Foundation, and Muni PH.

“Upon check out, consumers are asked to select one of the three organizations and we’ll donate 10% of the total invoice to the selected organization,” Go explained.  “(We at) PdP personally know these organizations and we believe in their initiatives.”

Punchdrunk Panda has gone through big leaps already. It has redirected its products’ designs to make sure they convey a meaningful message.

PdP will release a brand new product in May which, Go said, is “going to be school-related, so stay tuned.”

“For our coming May product launches, our designs’ themes will be on personal growth and development, local culture and travel, and energy conservation,” she said. “It’s an exciting challenge for PdP and the artists that we work with. But we really want to inspire Filipinos through our designs.”

* originally published on Yahoo Philippines, also seen on Vera Files *

Pam Quinones

Fashion stylist Pam Quinones has a library in her home, which is accessible only by using a ladder. The library’s unusual location (the loft) is not due to space constraints; on the contrary, her French-themed house with its high ceiling and muted earth colors is quite spacious.

Quinones’ home is featured in Curious Setting, a new inspirational website about “cool spaces and interesting people.”

“The site is devoted to finding inspiration in the cool and unusual,” according to Bea Ledesma and Ria Prieto---the brains behind Curious Setting.

Their paths crossed through their jobs. As lifestyle editors, Bea and Ria would frequently run into each other during events. So they started hanging out and that’s when they discovered they have so much in common: i.e., flipping through coffee table books, looking at interiors, and scouting for thrift shops.

Since then, the stylish duo had been sharing with each other pictures and stories of cool places and interesting people.

The idea of an inspirational website stemmed from the success of their first venture, Narra jewelry line available in Greenbelt and Rockwell.

“Curious Setting all happened organically,” Bea recalled. “We wanted to work on an online platform but instead of aggregating news, we wanted to generate content.”

“We started the blog because it was an excuse to get inside interesting homes and places,” Ria added. “Because we have a blog, we aren’t snoops. It makes what we do legit.”

“Everyone’s a Curious Christy, that’s why tabloids make so much money,” Bea quipped. “It’s in our line of work to shoot interesting things. [Curious Setting] was really just a lateral shift in thinking.”

Bea & Ria

Bea runs the fashion section of The Philippine Star’s YStyle section while Ria is editor in chief of Red Magazine---the monthly insert of the Philippine Daily Inquirer.

The Curious team includes three local photographers: Jo Ann Bitagcol – a former model, Edric Chen – an egg farmer by day, and Tammy David – a photojournalist and the duo’s good friend.

They also have three contributors---Lesley Choa, Tin Legaspi, and Mara Milano, whom Bea described as bright and hardworking, “all of them...slaving behind the scenes.”

Asked about what a “real home” should be like, Bea and Ria seem to have a common denominator. They both agree that a real home should be a personal space where you can feel free to express your personality, and at the same time, satiate your lifestyle needs.

“Modern minimalist homes are great but could I live in them? So while I dream of the obsessive neatness of a Patrick Bateman pad, my place is more likely to resemble the home of that dude who skinned girls in Silence of the Lambs – minus the cave and the murder part, obviously,” Bea joked.

“If the owner feels free to do whatever he loves regardless of trends or other people’s opinions, then that’s a home sweet home,” Ria added.

Some of the coolest finds featured on Curious Setting (aside from Quinones’ house) are fashion designer Hindy Weber Tantoco’s farm with its charming pergola, London-based designer Lesley Mobo’s airy light-filled townhouse, and a super fancy bathroom of Bea’s friend which she described as “light years fancier than my entire apartment.”

an arty couple's home

Designer Eric Paras’ A11 pad in Pasay City is the focus of “Home Is Where the Decor Is” while “The Arty Couple’s Home” story takes a look at a ‘60s-inspired roomy residence filled with local art. Another interesting piece is about the artsy and minimalist abode of Carlo Calma, which he designed himself.

For Bea, her dream feature article for Curious Setting would definitely be about singer Mariah Carey’s house. “I adore her. Ever since I saw her house on MTV Cribs, I knew she was insane and yet that only made my admiration grow to a full- fledged fandom,” she confessed.

As for Ria, her dream feature would be the house of architect Daniel Romualdez. She said: “His place gets featured abroad but, sadly, he isn’t ready to have it featured here in Manila. A lot of Filipinos admire him and his taste is exquisite and exciting.”

Aside from showcasing cool places and interesting people, Curious Setting will also be having a store on their website. “It is going to be a really cool mix of objects and artist collaborations,” Bea added. “Things fall into place easily enough when you’re willing to pursue something wholeheartedly.”

“We enjoy what we do and sharing it makes us happy,” Ria added.

* originally published on Yahoo Philippines, also seen on Vera Files *

“Not all those who wander are lost,” said J.R.R. Tolkien in his book, The Fellowship of the Ring.

They discover a thousand and one things. Some even find themselves.

Seven young artists from the University of the Philippines show their stirring take on what wandering, being lost, and subsequently found.

Their artistic interpretations of this state of “wanderlust”---or the strong desire to travel---are on display in the ongoing “Wander Lost” exhibit that runs until Feb.28 at the Republikha Art Gallery on E. Rodriguez Avenue, Quezon City.

The featured artists include Karla Aggarao, Brisa Dominguez, Ian Fabro, Francis Natividad, Miguel Puyat, Camille Quintos, and Roman Soleño.

“I’ve always experienced wanderlust,” says 20-year-old Aggarao. “There’s a certain joy in being outside our comfort zone and experiencing new things, not only physically. I also get to travel with my mind.”

For Aggarao, wanderlust is a universal feeling which everyone experiences, feels, and sees, through various forms, even in dreams. Using mostly acrylic or ink, Aggarao’s artworks for “Wander Lost” accentuate her love for travel.

She migrated alone to the Philippines when she was 17. Living independently has taught her to vividly explore her imagination and discover herself more through art and words; she writes prose and poetry as well.

Aggarao says she admires the works of Ramona Dela Cruz-Gaston, Dave Lock, Jason Montinola, Katrina Pallon, Rodel Tapaya, and Ronald Ventura.

Roman Soleño

Dominguez, 20, usually makes use of a mishmash of media, like watercolour mixed with dust and frottage, and organic sculptures highlighted with fluorescent colors.

She recycled her room’s old door for her artwork, called “Bag of Thoughts.” She emphasized her expression of wanderlust by putting rusty objects onto it.

“The rust signifies a phase in my life when I used to feel stuck – immovable. It also reflects the controlled life in the city,” Dominguez explains.

She also incorporated a self-portrait on her old door. “In spite of getting lost, I know there will always be an open door for me,” she says.

She gets inspiration from the works of her father (who is also a painter) and those of artist Ling Quisumbing Ramillo.

Dominguez, an active member of the UP Artists Circle Sorority, teaches young natives of Mountain Province to paint murals.

Fabro’s contributions to “Wander Lost” center on how a person deals with exploring what’s beyond his comfort zone. “Overcoming doubt and fear is one of the hardest things to do – it limits me... (my desire for) experiencing and learning new things,” says the 19-year-old artist.

He admires the artworks of Victor Balanon, Alan Balisi, Dave Lock, and Onib Olmedo.

Natividad, 26, is fond of textured abstracts, assemblages, and black and white portraits. He extracts ideas from delving into culture and eccentric environments.

For his artwork “Again Hello Goodbye,” he used metal sheets as canvas. To convey his interpretation of wanderlust, he chose vibrant color schemes to illuminate his geographical, physical, and even spiritual personal and interpersonal wanderings.

“It represents long-lasting relationships and their imprints, which make me, as a wanderer, lust for them repeatedly,” Natividad points out.

This young artist is also into interior design, fashion, and jewellery. He is also currently affiliated with Artworx Studios in Cambodia.

He is inspired by the works of Santiago Bose, Benjie Cabangis, and Nestor Vinluan.

“Wanderlust may be expressed by travelling,” says Puyat. And this sums up his take on their collective show.

One of the youngest in the group at 19, Puyat likes working on found objects. In his artwork called “2200 Meter Mark,” he used a different medium – dust – to literally and figuratively illustrate the concept of leaving trails when a person travels.

He loves skateboarding and plans to incorporate this extreme sport into his art.

Puyat admires the works of Argie Bandoy, Bernardo Pacquing, and Ramillo.

Quintos, 27, abandoned the corporate world a few years ago to study painting in UP Diliman. Still in the process of finding her art’s direction and style, her current works, which are usually self-portraits, explore life, death, spirituality, and identity.

In “BLEH!,” a series of her self-portraits,Quintos tries to come up with something different.

“I feel like I’m having an artist’s block so I made something unusual,” she shares. “To get new ideas, I need to travel to new places, meet new people, learn new things, and have new experiences – just like wanderlust.”

She is influenced by the works of Christina Dy, who was also her former teacher.

Soleño thinks that wanderlust is similar to falling asleep – like a form of escapism. “When you’re sleeping, you don’t think about your problems,” he says.

The 19-year-old artist also plays the drums, and creates film projects.